


A Cat named Dragon

by Kalikuks



Category: Overwatch (Video Game)
Genre: Alternate Universe, Background Relationships, Genji Shimada is a Little Shit, Hanzo is Awkward, Jesse's just there to be Handsome, M/M, There's a Cat in Here, This is an Apartment AU
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-12-26
Updated: 2016-12-26
Packaged: 2018-09-12 08:40:30
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 6,074
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9064534
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Kalikuks/pseuds/Kalikuks
Summary: In which Genji thinks it's a good idea to gift his lonely bachelor of a brother with a cat.





	

**Author's Note:**

> It's been a bumpy ride my friends but here we are.

   It started with a cat.

   A regal, incredibly fluffy dark gray cat with a patch of white on its chest.

   A cat, by the way, Hanzo had no intention of owning, or even knew he owned until he was unlocking the door to his apartment and stepping in. Nothing seemed amiss until he suddenly felt eyes on him upon entering his small kitchen and met the blue gaze of his apparent new roommate. The cat had sat it’s fluffy bottom on the countertop and only meowed at Hanzo upon realizing it was being stared down. Neither of them made a move, not until the cat seemed to grow bored of the game and began to groom itself promptly. 

   Trying to shoo the darn thing off the counter earned Hanzo an unimpressed glare as the cat jumped off. It held it’s fluffy tail high as it sauntered off to grace the small one bedroom apartment with its presence elsewhere. A quick scope of the kitchen revealed a note in messy kanji signed with a smiley face, and Hanzo could only close his eyes and rub his temples. Of course, Genji had had everything to do with this.

    Reading said note only made Hanzo’s slowly forming headache worse. Apparently, Genji was starting to worry about his brother’s loneliness, and during a visit to one of the many animal shelters Zenyatta volunteered at, had found a kindred spirit for his brother. Hence the cat. Genji had also taken the liberties to deposit the cat into his home, along with some basic cat care supplies. A little bit of a hunt around his apartment confirmed this, and Hanzo only cursed his brother all the more. The cat had made more appearances during his hunt but did little more than glare warily at him before it slunk off elsewhere. The cat itself seemed to dislike this new arrangement as much as Hanzo. 

   Tea was a calming ritual, and after work today and the unwanted surprise of the cat, Hanzo needed that warm comfort more than he’d admit. He’d have time to reprimand Genji for his so called “help” later. Right now he wanted to relax. So he fixed his tea, and took a seat in his favourite armchair, and picked up the novel he was currently halfway through.

   Unfortunately, his relaxation was interrupted by the sudden jangle of something rolling across the floor, and he peeked up from his book to see a small streak of neon green cross his little living room. Hanzo sighed.

   “…Hello, Genji.”

   Genji, with his shit-eating grin ever present on his face, only crossed Hanzo’s living room to retrieve the small green cat-toy he’d rolled for the cat, “Hello, Anjia.”

   The younger Shimada brother tossed the small bell-filled ball towards where the cat had appeared around the corner, but the creature only stared at it unimpressed, mirroring his owner’s gaze. Genji’s grin only grew.

   “I knew the cat would be perfect for you! You both are far too prideful for your own good. It won’t even play with me.”

   “You threw it into a new situation it does not know yet to feel about if I were the cat I wouldn’t like you too much right now either.”

   “I feel that there is more to that statement than you talking on behalf of the cat.”

   “I don’t know where you got that idea, brother.” Hanzo feigned ignorance and sipped his tea. The cat approached the armchair and disappeared behind it.

   “You’re so mean, Anija.” Genji threw a hand over his heart dramatically, though the grin did not leave his face, which made his act all the less convincing, “Here I am, having just given you a gift of that cute, adorable kitty cat and I get absolutely no thanks? I’m wounded.”

    Hanzo just regarded his brother, forever unimpressed by his antics, “You will live.”

   Now Genji pouted, “I will not. I’m so unappreciated by you. At least the cat appreciated me more than you.”

    As if on cue, the cat made the mistake of wandering too close to the couch where Genji sat, and he scooped it up under its forelegs to hold it up for Hanzo to see, “See?”

   Hanzo only looked from his brother to the cat in Genji’s grasp, which was squirming to get away, “Clearly.”

    “Okay it doesn't appreciate me either, that’s fine.” Genji sniffed, setting the cat down again, watching as it bolted from the room, “Just more that you have in common.”

   “Must you always be so dramatic?”

    “Yes.”

   Genji crossed his arms, to prove he was immovable on his dramatics, and Hanzo only met his brother’s gaze evenly, eyebrow raised. Both were silent for a beat or two before the silence was broken by an undignified snort on Hanzo’s end.

   “You never truly change, do you?” Hanzo murmured fondly, taking a sip of his tea before he forgot about it and it chilled further, “How is Zenyatta?”

   “He is well and will appreciate you asking after him. He keeps asking me to invite you over more often. You really should come around once in a while, you’re alone far too often, Anija. We’re starting to worry.”

   Hanzo scoffed, “Your concern is touching, but it is not needed. I like my privacy and my solitude. And I think you have meddled more than enough for a while yet by bringing the cat. I don’t even want to ask how you got in.”

   “It would have been much easier if you let me have your extra apartment key, but that doesn’t mean I will reveal my secrets either if you ever give it to me,” Genji smirked, and Hanzo was more than fine to let him have his secret. He was sure he’d figure out how Genji got in later. “That aside, you wouldn’t throw that poor kitty out on the street now, would you? He looks so happy here.”

   Hanzo leveled his gaze with Genji and sighed. “I doubt I will keep the cat.”

   Genji’s face fell, “Aw, but Anija, the cat, likes you!”

   “Even then, you can’t just drop an animal on me. They take a lot of responsibility to care for.”

   “I know, but you’re always so responsible.” Genji was pouting again, and Hanzo wished his brother acted his age. Genji was thirty-five, after all.

   “Thank you. But that does not mean I can keep the cat.” At Genji’s crestfallen look Hanzo quickly added, “I’ll make sure it goes to a loving home.”

   And Hanzo had indeed intended the matter of the cat to end that way. Had, by all means, intended to search for someone to take it off his hands so he could wash them clean of the whole thing. However, one day faded into one week, which quickly became two. Hanzo hadn’t even put an ad out anywhere. Which was rather difficult to do when there is a ball of fluff blocking your view of your keyboard in search of attention most of the time. In fact, he’d almost forgotten about getting rid of the cat until Satya brought it up one afternoon as the two sat together drinking tea. Genji may think him a loner by nature, but that did not mean he didn’t have friends. He’d found one in Satya shortly after moving into the apartment building, the dance instructor sharing his enjoyment of the quieter and more orderly things in life.

   “You still have the cat? I thought you told your brother you were getting rid of it?” Satya sipped her tea, regarding the cat as it stalked across Hanzo’s living room to lay claim to the patch of sunlight streaming in through the open balcony door.

   Hanzo also locked his gaze on the cat, watching as it contently flopped over to stretch in the sun, “I did, and I was.”

   Satya raised one of her perfectly shaped eyebrows, studying Hanzo briefly. “You were, but you got attached, didn’t you?”

   Hanzo sighed, “I did. Just don’t tell Genji, or else I will not live it down.”

   “He’ll find out sooner or later.” Satya pointed out, “I wouldn’t be surprised if he already knows. You told me he has a bad habit of breaking into your apartment, after all. Have you figured out how he does that, by the way?”

   “I still have no idea, and I’ve already asked the landlord if he lets him in. Jack said no.”

   Satya gave a thoughtful hum, watching the cat doze off, the creature the picture of contentment, “Does it have a name?”

   “What?”

   “The cat.” Satya briefly inspected her nail polish for cracks before returning her gaze to Hanzo. “Surely you’ve named it by now.”

   Hanzo must have blanked because Satya raised her eyebrow once more. She shook her head a little and finished her tea, but Hanzo saw her barely concealed smile behind the lip of the teacup. 

   “To be completely honest, I do not know what to call it.”

   Hanzo turned his attention back to the cat, studying it for a while. As much as he’d hate to admit it, Genji had been right, the cat suited him. A perfect pet for his lifestyle, since he was out all day at work Monday to Friday, and the cat didn’t need as much care and attention as a dog would. Not to mention the cat didn’t seem to mind him and had approached Hanzo on its own two days after it settled into the apartment. The cat was his reading buddy now, often curled up in his lap as he read his novels. A name for his companion was admittedly long overdue.

   “Hm. I always liked the name Ryuu.”

   “It suits him.” Satya smiled at him, leaning down to pet the cat as it decided it had had enough of lazing about, sauntering passed Satya’s feet. It briefly leaned into the woman’s touch before moving to jump on the armchair and settle next to Hanzo.

   Hanzo moved to pull the cat into his lap, scratching the feline under its chin. Ryuu stayed there for the remainder of Satya’s visit, purring contently as Hanzo pet it. Eventually, his friend had to leave, and Hanzo walked with her to see her out of the apartment, leaving the cat to its own devices. It’s own devices happened to involve the large oak tree outside of the apartment, the cat slipping out of the open balcony door. Hanzo only lived on the first floor of the apartment, so the kitty could easily slip through the balcony bars and trot over to the tree. 

   Climbing it was no issue, and the cat spent the next few moments exploring the branches. Nothing interesting there aside from an abandoned bird’s nest, and a squirrel that chittered at Ryuu angrily as the kitty continued its climb up the tree. Eventually, the cat was content to sit on a thick branch, its eyes open and ears perked as it studied the array of balconies it’s perch overlooked.

   The only sounds that greeted the cat were the tinkle of wind chimes that adorned Satya’s balcony, and the soft strumming of an acoustic guitar. Though not long after the cat settled to possibly nap on his branch did the strumming stop, not that that cat was bothered by the sudden lack of music.

   The cat was bothered by a low whistle and a soft, “Here kitty, kitty, kitty.”

   Ryuu only cracked his eyes open a little, turning his head only slightly, catching the movement of sunlight glinting off metallic fingers curled to beckon. Followed by kissy noises meant to coax the cat further into coming from his branch. The cat promptly ignored it.

   A huff and a short chuckle sounded in the same direction that the coaxing had come from, and a sliding door sounded not long after. Twice. Then the coaxing was back. This time with a smell to accompany it. Ryuu opened his eyes again, eyes locking onto those glinting metallic fingers again, only this time a sardine was held out in offering to the cat.

   It stalked forwards on the branch, the distance between the tree and the balcony on which the treat was being offered was no problem for a cat of his age to cross deftly. Soon the feline was nibbling it’s fishy treat, purring contentedly under a rough palm that ran along his back.

   “There we go, fella. Got ya outta that tree.” The voice was as warm and rough as the hand currently petting him, “You’re too well groomed ta be a stray, but don’t got a collar. Are you from around here?”

   But Ryuu was only a cat and gave no answers, and the man giving him chin scratches was content with that. Ryuu stayed with the man for a little while longer, batting at the old hat that sat on the man’s head and earning a laugh and a belly rub.

   “Aw, you’re a real friendly kitty, ain’t ya? Ya didn’t even pull that belly rub trick on me.” Flesh fingers instead of metallic found their way under the cat’s chin since the latter were occupied on the kitty’s belly, “But I s’pose it helps I got this arm, huh? Ya can’t exactly scratch it up.” 

   Ryuu only meowed, and the man chuckled, “That’s right, fella, I thwarted your plans. Can’t just call ya “fella” forever, though, can I? Hm. Always figured I’d name a critter something awful simple, I ain’t one ta give fancy titles. Smokey will just haveta do for ya.”

   The cat just let the man do as he pleased, only until he made the mistake of setting him down, then Ryuu hopped on the balcony and back onto his branch. Behind him, the man guffawed in disbelief, but Ryuu was already halfway down the tree before he could truly do anything. Hanzo left his balcony door open until it got too cold after the sun set, so sneaking back into the apartment was easily done.

   “There you are.” Hanzo mused as the cat rubbed between his legs and mewled for attention, “I was worried you snuck out when Satya left.”

   The only answer Hanzo received was a loud purr and the cat leaning into his touch when he bent to pet it.

   Unbeknownst to Hanzo, as the summer wore on, Ryuu’s habit of sneaking out got worse, and often the cat would climb the oak tree to visit the man from before and even a few others. The man was Ryuu’s favourite, though, since he usually had a treat or two for the cat. Sometimes the cat would just curl up contently in the man’s lap as he smoked a cigarillo. The only one who even caught onto anything amiss was Genji a few weeks later.

   “Your cat has gotten fat. You’ve been spoiling him, haven’t you, Anjia?”

   Hanzo only looked up from the manuscript he was currently translating for work to see Genji holding up Ryuu underneath the cat’s forelegs. The cat looked just as unimpressed as Hanzo, but the feline had long grown used to Genji’s antics just as his master had.

   “I haven’t been spoiling him. I feed him only what he requires.” At Genji’s knowing look Hanzo relented a little, “Fine. Perhaps the odd treat or two. But nothing that would see him become an unhealthy weight. Also, how did you even get in here?”

   “Perhaps you should take him to Angela? See if there’s anything wrong with him? Maybe cats gain weight when they’re sick?” Genji ignored Hanzo’s question and curled his arms around the cat properly, cradling it close to him, “It would be terrible for you to lose your friend, Anija.”

   Hanzo sighed, and moved from the table where he was working to convince his brother to hand the cat over. He was admittedly a little surprised at the cat’s heft when Genji reluctantly handed it over. The cat remained nonplussed at changing hands, and if anything it only butted at Hanzo’s palm with its head to receive some attention. Hanzo scratched under its chin in response.

   “I would hate to bother her when she isn’t working.” Hanzo said, already knowing that look on Genji’s face, “It can wait until she is actually in her office.”

   “But she only lives a few floors up!” Genji argued, “Wouldn’t you feel better knowing Ryuu was going to be okay? That he’s not going to kitty heaven early?”

   Hanzo only stared at Genji, deadpan, furrowing his brow even further when all Genji offered in return was a wide, innocent smile. Another incessant head butt to his hand had Hanzo scratching behind his kitty’s ears, and he looked down at his companion. He was admittedly very attached to his cat, and it was admittedly very handy to have a veterinarian living only two floors up.

   “…Fine." 

   Genji only smiled, grabbing onto Hanzo’s shirt sleeve and pulling him along, only pausing to let his elder brother lock his apartment door. Together they climbed the only flight of stairs up to the third floor where Angela resided, and Genji tapped out a rhythm on the woman’s apartment door. It was not Angela that answered, but Fareeha, her girlfriend.

   She took one look at Hanzo, and then her sharp eyes fell to the cat in his arms that was currently digging it’s claws into the wool of his vest. Recognition flitted through her gaze and the imposing woman smiled and reached to scratch behind the cat’s ear.

   “I didn’t know Aziza was your cat.” 

   Hanzo blinked in surprise “…”Aziza”? His name is Ryuu.”

   “Ryuu then.” Fareeha amended, “It’s nice to know he has a home. Angela was planning to see if she could catch him and find him one. We had assumed he was a stray, what with him coming around and meowing for food.”

   As if summoned by being mentioned, Angela appeared behind Fareeha, peering over the arm of her girlfriend to both Genji and Hanzo, “Ah. Genji, it is nice to see you. I assume this is your brother?”

   “Yes,” Genji answered easily, smiling wide at his friend, “But it seems you’ve already met his cat.”

   Angela’s eyes lit up as she ducked under Fareeha’s arm to stand before the brothers, smiling in relief when she saw the cat in Hanzo’s arms that was currently soaking up all the attention like a fluffy, slightly less grumpy sponge.

   “Ah. So he is not a stray. That’s good.” even she could not resist reaching to pet the cat, and Hanzo was starting to get a little annoyed at people disregarding his personal space.

   “Yes, well, he’s my cat. His name is Ryuu, and apparently, you both know him somehow.” Hanzo shifted the cat in his arms, causing the cat to meow at being moved away from the hands seeking to pet it.

   “The cat just appeared on our balcony one day.” Angela said, shrugging, “We think he climbed one of the nearby trees looking for bird nests to pillage before he managed to venture onto our balcony. Fareeha found him curled up on one of our patio chairs.” 

   “I see.” Hanzo thought over his habits briefly, sighing when he realized why the cat might have gotten out, “I leave my balcony door frequently open for fresh air, that might be why he got out. How often, now that’s something I’ll have to think over.”

   “I suppose we’ve figured out how your cat’s gotten so fat. Angie and Fareeha have been spoiling it with treats.” Genji piped up as if sensing his brother’s comfort level had plummeted.

   But both Fareeha and Angela only exchanged glances, “We haven’t given it any treats for a while. And if we did, Angie would have given it something healthy for it.”

   “Huh.” was Genji’s only response, and he turned to Hanzo, “So have you been spoiling the cat? I wouldn’t but it past your pride to deny it!”

   “No,” Hanzo replied flatly.

   “I’m sure if it’s gotten onto our balcony then it has certainly gone snooping around others.” Fareeha offered, “Maybe talk to Jack to see if he’ll put out a notice letting people know not to feed the cat when it comes around. I’m sure others also thought he was a stray." 

   Hanzo nodded and thanked the ladies for their time. Both Fareeha and Angela waved goodbye and retreated into their apartment. Hanzo promptly turned to head back towards the flight of stairs with Genji not far behind, preoccupied with how to request a favour from the landlord to notify people not to feed his cat, when suddenly he walked smack dab into a solid form in his way. The action jostled the cat in his arms, which yowled in protest and dug its claws further through Hanzo’s clothes into his skin and caused him to snap his head up in surprise.

   Which caused him to lock eyes with an equally startled, tall, handsome man. Hanzo could only stare, face blazing red and apologies caught in his throat when the surprise on the man’s face turned into a shy smile. The moment passed too abruptly when an annoyed meow sounded from the gray fluff ball in Hanzo’s arms, and the man’s gaze quickly dropped to find the source of the meow.

   “Hey! If it ain’t Smokey! How ya doin’ boy?” And then there was a metallic prosthetic hand, no, the entire arm to the elbow was a prosthetic, scratching adoringly behind the kitty’s ears 

   Hanzo for once was glad the cat had garnered the attention of the man away from him, lest he realized Hanzo’s face had deepened into a brighter shade of red at the sound of that deep voice and the sight of the warm, easy smile on the man’s face. As such, it took a while for Hanzo to realize the man also knew his cat.

   “…”Smokey”?”

   The man seemed to remember his presence, and grinned apologetically, “Yeah. Smokey, at least that’s what I call ‘im. He’s your kitty?”

   “Yes, he is my ki- my cat. He is my cat.” Hanzo confirmed, wondering why he was having difficulties trying to speak properly.

   “No kiddin’?” Hanzo was rewarded another of the man’s bright, dazzling smiles, “I’m glad he’s got a home, I was gettin’ worried for the little guy. He comes ‘round my balcony so often, I was thinkin’ I was the only human he’d let around him.” the man scratched his beard, smiling a little sheepishly, and Hanzo found himself thinking the expression cute before he caught himself, “Almost thought of takin’ him in for good. Glad I didn’t.”

   “Er… yes, that would have been rather awkward if I had to collect my cat from you.” Hanzo couldn’t help but subconsciously pull Ryuu closer to himself, hiding his face a bit behind the fluff of his pet cat.

   “Eh, maybe a lil’ bit.” the other man rubbed the back of his neck, and Hanzo made a point not to stare at how the movement stretched the man’s flannel shirt tight across that broad chest, “At least I got ta meet ya on better terms. Not often ya bump inta an angel.”

   The wink that accompanied that statement had Hanzo lighting up like a firetruck, and he swore he heard Genji snicker behind him. Glad to know his brother was the one man audience to this train wreck. He wasn’t going to hear the end of this for weeks. Hanzo was too busy stewing over that fact, which resulted in him missing out what the mystery man in front of him said next.

   “Pardon? I didn’t catch that.” Hanzo amended quickly, not wanting to seem rude.

   “I said, does the little fella have a proper name? I doubt it’s Smokey. I’m not a physic fella, an’ a handsome fella like you probably gave your kitty here a handsome name,” the man reached to pet the cat again, and Hanzo found himself blushing deeper and drifting minutely closer to the stranger. 

   “…Ryuu. His name is Ryuu.” Hanzo answered softly, watching the man’s face grow soft as he continued to pet the cat, “…Normally he’s not so calm around strangers. But apparently, he’s been getting out and introducing himself to the other tenants. Begging for food from them too, it seems.” 

   The man snorted, grinning as he looked back up at Hanzo, “Guess he’s been playin’ the entire block then, huh?” 

   Hanzo felt a small smile cross his features before he could stop it from forming, “It would seem so.”

   Hanzo’s smile seemed to have an effect on the stranger, because his expression seemed to grow softer yet, and Hanzo swore there was a faint blush on the other man’s tan cheeks.

   “Well shoot, here I am goin’ on and on about your cat, and I don’t even properly know your name yet, Darlin’.” He thought for a moment, thick eyebrows furrowed under stray locks of chestnut hair, “Shit, I don’t think I’ve even givin’ ya mine. We’re doin’ this all sorts of ass backwards, ain’t we?”

    Hanzo made a noise of agreement, “Indeed.”

   “Well then, let me fix that.” The man tipped an old, worn cowboy hat, and accompanied the gesture with a wink and a smile, “Name’s McCree. That’s what most folks call me. Though I ain’t opposed ta people, I get close with ta call me Jesse. And you are?”

   “Shimada Hanzo.” Hanzo would have normally accompanied his introduction with a shallow bow, but there was the problem of the cat growing impatient in his arms and being far closer to the man than he remembered being, “It is a pleasure to meet you, Mr. McCree.”

   “Just McCree is fine, Mr. Shimada.”

   Hanzo found himself correcting McCree before he could think twice about it, “Please, call me Hanzo.”

   That earned him that wide smile again, and all the butterflies in Hanzo’s stomach did a little flip that he did not want to think too much about at the moment, especially not with his brother leaning against the doorway to the stairwell not a stone’s throw away. 

   Hanzo’s cheeks threatened to turn redder yet, and so he brought Ryuu even closer to his face, continuing his attempt to hide his reddening cheeks with the cat’s fluffy fur. Worse yet, a quick glance in Genji’s direction had him almost sputtering in embarrassment, since his brother had started to wiggle his eyebrows teasingly.

   Mercifully, McCree seemed blissfully unaware of Genji’s presence and teasing, apparently only having eyes for Hanzo and his cat for the moment. The realization had Hanzo nuzzling into Ryuu’s fur more, hoping that McCree would fail to notice the blush that had no doubt spread to Hanzo’s ears by now.

   Thankfully — or unfortunately, McCree lifted his eyes off of Hanzo’s cat and met Hanzo’s gaze, giving Hanzo a sheepish little grin, “Well, I’d hate ta run out on ya Darlin’, but I was just headin’ out ta run some errands. Glad I finally met Smoke— sorry, Ryuu’s proper owner.” McCree seemed to step away from Hanzo reluctantly, but he looked up at Hanzo with a hopeful expression. “I’ll see ya around, maybe? Perhaps even for a coffee?”

   Hanzo’s brain short circuited him a moment too long before he nodded, perhaps a little too enthusiastically. “Uh… Yes. I’d like that. I’ll see you around McCree.”

   McCree walked backwards from Hanzo with the biggest, most dazzling grin Hanzo had ever seen and could only describe as adorable. There was no stopping the blush now, but Hanzo at least had the satisfaction of having spotted a similar flush to McCree’s skin. McCree finally turned around eventually, tipped his hat to Genji politely on his way passed him, and made his way down the stairwell.

   Hanzo could feel Genji’s shit eating grin on his back, and he tried to avoid looking at his younger brother when he felt Genji stand near him again.

   “Well, that was interesting.” Genji purred out, amusement plain in his voice, “I didn’t know you could get so red in the face, Anija.”

   Hanzo could only sputter indignantly, refusing to turn to face his brother, instead choosing to make his way back down to his floor stubbornly. Genji trailed behind him, and Hanzo dreaded having to put up with his teasing for longer than he needed. In Hanzo’s arms, Ryuu was just content to continue digging it’s claws into Hanzo’s sweater vest, perhaps as a reprimand for its owner burying his face in its fur.

   Luckily enough, Hanzo was rescued from more of his brother’s teasing by Zenyatta, the omnic meeting them on the landing of the floor he and Genji resided on. Hanzo took his chance and made his escape, hastily saying goodbye to both his brother and his brother’s husband, and Hanzo all but bolted for the stairwell to return to the first floor. 

   Hanzo stopped by Jack’s office, requesting a notice to be passed around to all tenants in the building that the gray cat they had no doubt been seeing around did, in fact, have an owner. Hell, Jack had recognized the cat as well, which only cemented the fact it was likely all tenants had met Ryuu at one point. The gruff, white-haired gentlemen even scratched behind Ryuu’s ears when he thought Hanzo wasn’t looking.

   Eventually, Hanzo was able to return to his apartment, gently prying his cat’s claws from his sweater vest before he set the cat down on the floor. The gray cat immediately rubbed up against Hanzo’s prosthetic legs, purring before meowing up at him.

   “You’re just being cute because you know you are in trouble.” Hanzo scolded, though he did bend down to run his hand fondly over his cat’s back.

   He righted himself and set about preparing Ryuu’s dinner, pouring some dry cat food into Ryuu’s feed bowl, and once more he fondly scratched the cat’s back before moving to make himself some tea. He was lost in his thoughts, that may or may not have included a certain stranger met not too long ago when he closed the cupboard, and his peace was immediately shattered.

   “So.” Genji began, leaning with his elbow propped up on the countertop, smirking knowingly at his elder brother, “How about that McCree guy, eh?”

   Hanzo nearly dropped his tin of loose tea in surprise, startled by his brother’s reappearance, “Genji!”

   His brother was not deterred by his angry outburst, and Genji only stared at Hanzo, patiently waiting for his answer. Hanzo only turned away from his brother, hoping he didn’t notice the burning tips of his ears. If only it were that simple.

   “I don’t know what you’re talking about.” Hanzo muttered, trying to seem blasé about the whole thing, “I only spoke with him briefly.”

   “Correction. You were flirting with him briefly. I was witness to the event, and so was your cat. Which, by the way, is how you met McCree, and I got you the cat. You can thank me after you take McCree out on a date.”

   That had Hanzo clumsily dropping the spoon he was supposed to be using to scoop the loose tea into the mesh tea ball, making it worse by choking on an undignified noise in his throat, “You are assuming too much!”

   “I think I am assuming just enough!” Genji persisted, taking on an expression of surprising seriousness. “It has been too long since you’ve gone on a date Hanzo! This could be good for you, you know. He seemed very into you. Besides, it was a little obvious that you were crushing a little hard.” 

   Hanzo sniffed a little in distaste, “I do not crush on anyone. I am not a child.”

   “Brother, you were hiding your face in your cat. If that is not a sign of a little bit of a crush, I do not know what is.” Genji was teasing him once more, gently prodding Hanzo in the side with his index finger. “I think if you gave him more of a chance to get to know you, and you him, it would be good for you. At least you already know he likes your cat!”

   At this point Hanzo had finally managed to turn his kettle on at least to boil the water for the tea, attempting to ignore Genji. While failing miserably to ignore the voice in the back of his head that was on Genji’s side, that agreed with his little brother. McCree had admittedly set to seed the beginnings of a crush in Hanzo, and perhaps it was worth seeing what such a thing would blossom into. 

   “Perhaps,” Hanzo began softly, “it would not hurt to try.”

   He finally turned to Genji, who was giving Hanzo an encouraging smile, “I only want to see you happy, Anija, and maybe he will bring you happiness.”

   Hanzo returned Genji’s soft smile with his own. “Thank you, Genji.”

   Hanzo finished making himself his cup of tea, offering to make Genji one as well, and together the two brothers sat down to enjoy their tea, Ryuu hopping up into Hanzo’s lap not long after finishing its dinner. Genji stayed only to finish his tea, wishing Hanzo luck with whatever he decided to do. 

   “What am I going to do?” Hanzo asked Ryuu later that night, peering at the cat curled up at his feet at the foot of the bed.

   Ryuu only lifted it’s head to look at Hanzo, meowed, and then settled back down. Hanzo only stared at the cat, before shaking his head at himself.

   “I will not get anywhere if I overthink this, will I?” Hanzo sat up, placed his novel on his bedside table, and reached to pull his cat into his lap. “Being forward with my intent would be for the best. All I have to do is ask him to accompany me to a cafe. It cannot be that hard.”

   And it really wasn’t until Hanzo found himself with his hand frozen halfway in a knock on McCree’s apartment door a few days later. Panic and nervousness had coiled in his gut, making worse his already volatile cocktail of self-doubt and self-consciousness. There was no way he could do this, he was thirty-eight, probably long passed going out on dates, and what if McCree wasn’t into him at all.

   Hanzo was about to make a tactical retreat when the door opened unexpectedly, and he and McCree nearly bumped into each other for the second time that week.

   “Oh! Hey, Hanzo nearly didn’t see ya there.” McCree’s smile was still as genuine as the first day Hanzo had seen it, and it was a little startling to realize it helped Hanzo’s nerves ease the tiniest bit, “Did your cat get out again?”

   “No… no, Ryuu is at home. I had just wished to see you.” Hanzo mentally kicked himself, worried about his forwardness, “There is something I wish to discuss.”

   McCree’s eyebrows disappeared under the brim of his hat, but otherwise, his expression was not decipherable in the slightest, “Oh? Well, I’m here. Shoot, Darlin’.”

   Hanzo took a deep breath before he took the plunge, “The first time we had met, you had expressed the desire to see me again, over coffee. I was wondering if the offer still stood.”

   Hanzo didn’t dare look at McCree’s face as he finished, terrified of rejection, but to his surprise, he heard a relieved chuckle. He finally glanced up to McCree’s face, finding a gentle smile full of relief.

   “Well shoot, Darlin’, I was almost afraid ya’d never ask.” McCree removed his hat to run his metal hand through his hair, “Hell, I’d be lyin’ if I said I weren’t on my way ta ask ya the same more or less. You’ve been runnin’ through my mind, Darlin’.”

   Hanzo’ was pretty sure his heart did at least three full somersaults in his chest, and he tried and failed to suppress a smile. “I would also be lying it I did not admit the same.”

   “Well, I’m free now, if you happen ta be too.” McCree offered, grinning, “I know I need a coffee, what about you?”

   Hanzo smiled. “I would like that.”

   The two made their way out of the apartment building, talking animatedly, or at least McCree was. Hanzo listened politely, filing away that he would have to thank Genji for the cat after all. Whatever developed between him and McCree because of this chance meeting would be interesting indeed.

    At the very least, it had a promising start.

**Author's Note:**

> PHEW, we made it! It took a while, and my laptop died and was resurrected, but we did it.
> 
> The Art Piece that accompanies this work can be found [Here](http://ronaldmchanzo.tumblr.com/post/154972960639/you-know-whats-a-good-combination-mchanzo-and-a)


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